A Brief Overview of Census 2006
May 22, 2008
Statistics Canada recently released data on a number of aspects of the 2006 Census, including population, the labour force and education, among other areas. What follows is a summation of some of the highlights of these data for Manitoba.
Manitoba’s population only increased by 2.6 percent from 2001 to 2006 (1,148,410). This is a rate of growth about half of the national average. Manitoba’s population has also been aging since the 1960s. Children under the age of 16 have dropped significantly, while during this period those 56 or older have increased. Between 2001 and 2006, the largest growth was seen among those between the ages of 45 and 64. The working age population (15-64) is expected to start to decrease as the largest group reaches the age of 65 in the next 15-20 years.
The Aboriginal population in Manitoba is younger than the rest of the population and also growing at a more rapid rate. By 2006, more than 25 percent of children (15-24 years old) and about 20 percent of youth (25-44 years old) in Manitoba were Aboriginal.
The gap between men and women in labour force participation has narrowed slightly. In 2006 Manitoba had 611,280 active labour force participants, 53 percent of which were men. The Census also showed that men and women continue to work in different occupations.
The census also illustrated that most of Manitoba’s labour force is found in three major occupational groups. These include Sales and Service occupations (25 percent); Business, Finance and Administrative occupations (17 percent); and Trades, Transportation and Equipment Operating occupations (15 percent). These three groups accounted for 57 percent of the Manitoba labour force in 2006.
The 2006 Census shows that Manitoba has undergone changes in its population and will continue to change in future years. The population has been aging and a large segment will be reaching retirement age in the coming years. Educational attainment is generally high and increasing. And here is a growing Aboriginal population that will help fill the expected demand for labour as the general population ages.
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